Living Life: Re-Written
by HakuneKurai
Summary: Living life had always been difficult. Living life in the Naruto Universe, though, certainly made life on Earth seemed much more easier. Nohara!OC!
1. chapter 1

**Ch.1**

Life was a mystery, which he was certain of.

But the afterlife? Heh, it was even more of a mystery. There was no solid evidence that proves what awaits everyone after death. Do they get live again? Do they get born in another body? Do they get born as an animal? Really, there were countless possibilities to think of.

The afterlife was confusing.

When he had drowned in the beach, he had welcomed the darkness that embraced him. He thought nothing of it as he drowned. It was obvious that sooner or later, he probably would have died. Drowning burned his lungs and he couldn't deny the fact that it had hurt in general.

He doesn't like drowning. _Death was unexpected_ , he mused. He didn't expect to have a sudden leg cramp after giving a drowning boy [who looked a little younger than him by a year] something to use to keep him afloat. He had only been thirteen... and he died. He expected to bathe in cold darkness and be surrounded by nothingness.

And yet, that wasn't it. He felt something hot, something slippery and squishy that disgusted him. It was undeniably cramped and it might have been just his imagination but it seemed as if the walls were closing in on him. There was a distinctive frown plastered on his lips while he tried to move. His lack of mobility surprised him.

Wasn't he at the bottom of the ocean right about now? Shouldn't he be unable to _move at all_? Cold darkness should be his only companion by now so how the heck could he suddenly feel warmth? It was all so mind-blowing. Better yet, it was heart-stopping. He had already died.

And then, **he was alive again**.

Yes, it was dark. No, it wasn't cold. So yes, he concluded that no; he wasn't dead. Was he paralyzed or something? He decided to try and open his mouth but _ohmygoditburnsmakeitstop_ closed it shut as soon as liquid entered. Where was he?! What happened to him?! What about his family? _Oh crap_ , he thought in horror. His sister... what will happen to his sister from now on?!

He was... supposed to be dead and yet [for some unfathomable reason], he was alive. _Alive_.

 _Oh shit._

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God, he was going crazy. The silence was deafening. **_He was going crazy_**. He couldn't take it anymore! He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. There was no noise aside from the occasional humming that he could hear sometimes. It kept vibrating from wherever he was. The humming was soothing; melodious, even. It kept him aware that he was actually alive at the moment.

Despite the fact that he should have been dead already, he was glad for the noise.

Coming to terms that one was alive when they were supposed to be dead surely made a great recipe for an intense migraine. _Hmm. Hmm. Hmm._ Oh, there it was. It was the humming that he was looking forward to in this lonely place. He could only hear the hums at random intervals and it would only last for three to five minutes. But it was enough; after all, it was keeping him sane.

As the hums continued, he mentally sang the lyrics in his head.

 _Perhaps I can reach you, even though you're far away_

 _I send you this message with all my heart_

 _Hope is certainly a compass that points to love_

 _Sleep, sleep gently, for tomorrow is a continent of dreams_

 _Last night you were scared of loneliness_

 _The telepathy in your heart called my name_

 _It's not even a miracle that in the future our hearts will be energy_

 _Sleep, sleep gently; forget your sorrow_

 _The years sink into the sea like the setting sun_

 _I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you_

 _I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you_

The lullaby, _Lullaby from the Stars_ , was his favorite. He and his sister would always sing this every night to each other before sleeping. Why? Their parents had always been busy; even before he and his sister were born. Truthfully, his sister only had him and he only had his sister in return.

However, it was enough.

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Once, he had been Edward Scott and he had grown up in South East Asia.

And apparently, he was now Nohara Ren.

Now, he wouldn't be so scared out of his wits if it weren't for the following:

1\. If he wasn't named Nohara to begin with;

2\. If this particular Nohara hadn't been the one who jumped in front of a Chidori to save her village and;

3\. If this Nohara wasn't the Nohara from Naruto.

But the universe must have wanted to screw with him and his new life. He was Nohara Ren and the deceased Nohara Rin was his Aunt.

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Ren had been born as a civilian... and an _orphan_. Sadness blanketed him. Family and love weren't something he lacked before in his past life and he certainly didn't want to experience it now, but it seemed as if the universe was against him.

He was born an orphan. His mother died not long after she had given birth to him. She had been so frail, sickly and weak when she had been bearing him and the man, that was supposed to be his father, disappeared.

The man had left his new – deceased – mother after hearing the news that she had been pregnant with Ren. Well, that was what he concluded, at least. Ren felt a gaping hole in his chest and he didn't like it. His parents from his previous life weren't exactly perfect or ideal but at least they were there.

It had been enough for the Scott siblings.

Now, in his situation; it seemed his mother, Nohara Kazue, had been the only one left in their clan after Rin passed away. How did he know? He can thank the gossiping nurse taking care of him for that and, in extension, his sister from his past life for forcing him to learn basic Japanese.

Ren certainly didn't like his lack of independence. So, when he was moved to the orphanage at the age of two, he started doing everything he can to become independent. He took care of his own dishes, cleaned up after his mess and read picture books to further his knowledge of the language.

He had done all that at the mere age of two.

The caretakers were flabbergasted by this. He didn't actually think about the consequences of his decision in the near future. Because in the present, all Ren wanted was to gain some form of freedom in this place rather than being cooped up in the orphanage.

The Nohara was a silent child; everyone in the orphanage knew that fact. The first time he spoke, it had been after a year he was sent here. The caretakers had always thought that he was mute, a side effect of having a sick mother when she had been bearing him.

So when he spoke with clarity and eloquent while they were reprimanding the demon child; they were positively _terrified_ of him. "Do you find happiness in verbally abusing a _helpless_ child? You say he's a demon but it's clear as day that the demons here are you."

His accusing tone made them flinch. His hardened gaze made them sink. "Demons are relatively anonymous to people causing trouble or unhappiness and, additionally, it also refers to evil spirits. If you haven't noticed yet, it has the word evil in it."

The way he spoke unnerved them all. He spoke as if he was an adult and not a three-year-old child. "He hasn't done anything evil, has he? So no, he's not a demon. But everyone can see that you're antagonizing him. You're purposely saying those to make him hostile so he can cause trouble. So it's clear that **_you're_** the demons here."

Words that he wasn't supposed to know venomously left his usually closed lips. A three-year-old child wasn't supposed to know most of the words that he had said. Nohara Ren was a strange child; a strange, terrifying child.

After that, the caretakers didn't cause any more trouble.

Ren was satisfied.

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A year later, the child he defended from the caretakers approached him. He was a cute kid. He had bright blond hair that captured his attention. Ren certainly loved his cerulean eyes. Come to think of it, Ren didn't really know what he looked like.

But the thing that caught his attention the most was the three horizontal marks on the child's cheeks. "Er... hello, -bayo." The Nohara stiffened as he processed what had just happened.

It was... _Uzumaki Naruto_. How the heck didn't he notice that a year ago?! Ren shuffled his feet in awkwardness. For all his life including the previous one, he hadn't been a social butterfly.

"... hi."

Ren's first impression of Naruto was that he wasn't as determined and boisterous as his future self. He was timid and shy. There was a huge difference between them. The Naruto before him refused to make any kind of eye-contact; he was probably afraid of rejection.

"I... I haven't thanked you yet for... for saving me." Ren blinked and stared at the blond for a few moments before erupting in laughter. A year had passed since that incident and Naruto only thought of thanking him now? Wasn't this kid a riot?

However, he quickly noticed the blond's teary eyes and quickly stopped. Naruto must have misunderstood his laughter. "So... Sorry, I just didn't expect you to thank me. A year had already passed, you know?" The blush that covered his marked cheeks made Ren mentally coo at Naruto's cuteness.

"O... Oh." Naruto sighed in relief, to which Ren felt sadness for. Did the blond fear rejection that much? He was only a child, wasn't he? He wasn't supposed to fear rejection until he was, at least, in his mid-teens.

"Um... I'm Naruto; Uzumaki Naruto, -bayo."

Ren smiled. "I'm Nohara Ren; it's nice to meet you."

Yup, Naruto really was an adorable child.

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During Ren's third year in the orphanage, he was certain it had been one of the most horrible years for him and Naruto. The later had been kicked out by the caretakers as soon as summer rolled in. Ren hadn't been able to help. One of the caretakers had locked him inside his room.

Nohara Ren was livid, but his fury dissipated as night arrived. He was huddled up in a corner, blanketed by shadows and he was hugging his knees close to his chest. _Hmm. Hmm. Hmm._ The familiar hum felt foreign in his throat as he hummed.

 _Perhaps I can reach you, even though you're far away_

 _I send you this message with all my heart_

 _Hope is certainly a compass that points to love_

 _Sleep, sleep gently, for tomorrow is a continent of dreams_

 _Last night you were scared of loneliness_

 _The telepathy in your heart called my name_

 _It's not even a miracle that in the future our hearts will be energy_

 _Sleep, sleep gently; forget your sorrow_

 _The years sink into the sea like the setting sun_

 _I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you_

 _I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you_

When he finished singing the lullaby; everything that he had held in for the years he had been here, he had let it all out as the dam holding back his tears broke. He missed his former parents. He missed his sister. He missed his home. He missed Nohara Kazue. He missed it all.

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Ren was a bit peeved when he learned that Naruto now resided on the other side of the village. It would take too much time to reach him at this rate. The Nohara could only visit Naruto once a week, and that was only because he could sneak out during Sundays.

Life was slowly improving and Ren was hoping that something good would happen. Well, something did happen but he couldn't figure it out whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

Hatake Kakashi was the least person Ren expected to meet in the orphanage. He was also taller compared to what he had expected and his silver hair was just as fascinating as Naruto's cerulean blue eyes.

"Hello."

Ren merely stared at him with half-lidded eyes. He wasn't about to let this man know what was going on through his head. "Hi." His response made Kakashi wince, and the awkward atmosphere between them only thickened.

The slight dull glow around the man made it possible for Ren to deduce that he was feeling as awkward as he was. "My name's Hatake Kakashi. You're Nohara Ren, right?" He simply nodded. Ren wondered what Kakashi wanted with him when they've never even met before.

The Nohara frowned. What exactly did this guy want? "I'm a friend of your Aunt and an acquaintance of your mother..." Ren silently nodded and urged him to continue. This made Kakashi sigh and the young Nohara assumed he was about to get straight to the point.

"Do you want to be a ninja?"

He blinked. Did he hear him clearly? Was he giving him a chance to get out of this horrible orphanage early? And he was even giving him the chance to enroll in the Academy!

Wait; did Ren even have what it took to be a ninja? He had been a normal civilian in his past life and he had been content living a normal life. Does he even want to be one? The number one occupation here was to be a shinobi.

As a ninja, he would gain the respect he wanted. As a civilian, he wouldn't be able to get the respect he wanted.

There were pros and cons in being a civilian and surely enough, the cons outweighed the pros. Besides, if he wasn't a ninja, he would be defenseless in future fights. With finality, Ren had decided.

"Nohara Ren; please take care of me from now on."

Because if Kakashi was going to enroll him in the Academy, it went without saying that he would also adopt him.

Only then did Nohara Ren truly live in this new life of his.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

 **Momoi Raze:** _Oooooh, thaaaaaank youuuuuuu for the support! I loooooooveeeeee youuuuuuuuuu! Ah, I also want Kakashi and Ren to suffer an awkward relationship. Well, it's not a secret but I do want to keep Obito's and Ren's relationship._

 **summerinyoureyes:** _Thank you and I'm glad you like Ren-chan. Well, since Ren's five years old, then Kakashi's eighteen. I'm making an effort to make Kakashi colder and make their relationship more awkward since Kakashi doesn't really know how to handle children._

 **CallmeCrazylol:** _Love your username! And yes, he will have them after a few more chapters._

 **sarahgri99:** _Thank you! And I hope you'll like this chapter._

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. AND THIS AIN'T _BL_ ANYMORE. That's all.

* * *

 **This** kind of afterlife wasn't what he really expected. Like he had mentioned before, he expected coldness and be engulfed in complete darkness. He expected nothingness. He expected loneliness; not to be reborn in a world that was once fictional.

"Ren, it's time for school."

The Nohara perked up from his stool. Every day he spent with this man made him realize how unique... and broken Kakashi was. In his past life, he had never really recalled times he delved deep into a character's personality.

Now that he was here, living with the man he idolized before, he had seen things the anime didn't show the viewers. The famed Copycat... actually talked in his sleep. And they weren't normal sleep talks either.

He would say things that he would never say when he was awake. From what Ren could remember in his past life, Kakashi had been a pervert, tardy in almost everything except for emergency cases and had lost a lot of precious people.

Over the past few weeks, Ren gained some weight that was now appropriate for his age. He had been a little underweight back at the orphanage since the caretakers there usually monopolized the food for themselves.

For the most part, the awkward atmosphere between them was gradually disappearing over the course of spending some time with each other. Ren didn't mind. Kakashi was still a shinobi who had lost so many so Ren wasn't so surprised to know that Kakashi couldn't talk to a kid about normal things.

"I'm going on ahead. I might be out for a few days so be careful while I'm gone, Ren." The Nohara bit his lip and restrained himself from latching onto Kakashi's sleeve and ask him about where he was going. The boy knew not to ask, but he couldn't help himself.

"Where are you going, Hatake-san?"

"... it's confidential."

Kakashi's answer was short and straight to the point. After hearing that, Ren deduced that it might have been a mission. He was never really the type to pry into someone else's business but for his guardian to leave him alone for a few days? He already expected the things he has to go through once he accepted Kakashi's adoption.

For whatever unknown reason, however, the orphanage had readily agreed to Kakashi's request to adopt him. Kakashi was but a mere teen who didn't even have a single knowledge about how to take care of a child. Sure, Ren wasn't a normal child but it was the principle that counts.

 _Back to the initial topic_ , Ren thought to himself. _Just what the heck is going through that guy's head? What sane person would leave a five-year-old child alone, who wasn't even familiar in this part of the village?_ If he could, Ren would have already lectured the silver-haired teen about his wrong decisions.

He must _never_ leave a child alone for a long period of time without someone looking after them. _Although_ , the Nohara thought with a sigh, _at least I'm not a normal five-year-old._ Ren watched with half-lidded eyes as the eighteen-year-old shinobi left. _I pity any normal five-year-olds who has to deal with Hatake-san._

Ren was going to attend the Academy a year earlier than the usual age range. However, he was not pleased with Kakashi's way of taking care of him. The eighteen-year-old teen was turning nineteen this year, and yet, he wasn't capable of cleaning up after himself.

As Ren looked around the kitchen, he couldn't help but frown at the mess littering the sink and near the stove. He knew Kakashi was far too busy but couldn't he clean up after himself once and a while? Ren had been cleaning the apartment for Kakashi in the few days he had been here.

Since Ren was mentally a year younger than Kakashi, the former couldn't help but think how Kakashi's mind works. Ren quickly went to work and after doing a quick clean-up of Kakashi's mess, the Nohara left the apartment and sprinted to the Academy.

The curly-haired boy noticed the faces carved on the side of the mountain. It wasn't really noticeable before but the faces were really detailed down to the stress lines of some former village leader. When Ren reached the Academy, he quickly found his homeroom.

Before he entered, though, he glanced at the oaken door with a frown plastered on his face. It seemed to tower over him, mocking his height. Frankly, he was a bit too small for a kid his age. So, it didn't really surprise him that the door looked bigger than it should be in his perspective.

The first thing he hoped for was that not all of his classmates would be bratty. Although, he was glad to be placed in a class with quite a few decent students when he saw a few clan children; however, it didn't escape his eyes how the Uchihas were crowded on one side.

It was as if they were being cast aside in this room. "Ah, you must be the person Hatake-san recommended. Come in and introduce yourself." The teacher seemed relatively nice. Her voice had this soothing effect when she speaks, and the boy couldn't detect any ill intent from her.

Silence met him when he entered and he almost drowned in his thoughts because of it. There were a handful of civilians in the class and Ren thanked his guardian mentally for placing him in a class where it was a mix.

"Nohara Ren; it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we get along well for the few years we'll be together." The Nohara knew he received quite a few odd looks from his new classmates, and especially from his teacher.

"I'm Osamu Yura," his sensei spoke up with clarity. "But you can call me Yura-sensei, Nohara-kun." Her statement was acknowledged by a simple nod from the boy. This might bore him; considering that he was surrounded by kids [as if he wasn't a kid himself].

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Osamu Yura had already been wary even before Ren's arrival, especially when that kid was recommended by that Hatake. Hatake Kakashi had once been in her class and she definitely disliked him. Sure, he was a prodigy and positively adorable but...

He was too mature. He was too cold-hearted and distant. There was just something wrong about that particular shinobi. She admitted that he made a perfect example of what a shinobi should be but he just won't make an effort to make at least one single friend when he had been in her class.

Yes, there was something wrong with him and Yura knew that the Hatake still had problems with his social life. Upon Nohara Ren's arrival, she instantly noticed his guarded posture.

She noticed his near, yet distant expression. When she noticed these things, she thought, _Oh great, it's another Hatake_. She definitely didn't want to deal with another him. She already had enough teaching one once but another one _again_? Give her a break!

Once he introduced himself, she was honestly surprised by his words. No, it wasn't because of his mature speech nor was it the way he held himself in front of the class. It was because he said it was a pleasure to meet them.

The Hatake had been cold and direct when he had introduced himself all those years ago but Nohara Ren; he looked absolutely excited, _ecstatic_. She watched him roam his gaze around the room. _Was he going to make friends?_

"I'm Osamu Yura but you can call me Yura-sensei, Nohara-kun."

Yura was surprised when Ren acknowledged her whereas Hatake had simply ignored her when she had introduced himself. She quirked an amused eyebrow and if one would look closely, Yura was smiling. _Maybe he wasn't alike with the Hatake, after all_.

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Class was... normal.

Ren had thought it would be boring at first but he was wrong. Despite learning the fundamentals all over again, the way Yura-sensei taught was quite fascinating. There was never a dull moment when Yura-sensei made everything enjoyable.

He might actually like going to class from now on.

Now, remember that he was never a social butterfly in his past life, but he was actually befriended by a Hyuuga, his seatmate. But it would be more appropriate to say that his seatmate just became someone who he would like to bully.

It was Hyuga Neji.

Even though Nohara Ren was a year younger and that Hyuga Neji was quite a stuck-up person, Ren didn't care in the least. The boy found it amusing how Neji would glare at him with everything he does.

With a glare that scares all of their classmates, it was only Ren who was unaffected. Well, he had seen a scarier glare and _that_ was absolutely terrifying. He could still remember the way those eyes narrowed in anger, the shivers running down his spine and the way his sister chased after him for making her drop her ice cream.

 _Yeah, it wasn't a pleasant memory_. Ren chuckled half-heartedly in his head. The Academy wasn't so bad; now that he spent a few weeks attending classes. Ren found out that this new body of his was capable of learning new things with just one look. It was an ability he never had in his past life.

It made taijutsu class easier than it should be and it never crossed Ren's mind how displaying his newfound ability could garner the attention of quite a few people. "Oi," a voice snapped him out of his train of thoughts. "It's time for lunch."

With a silly smile, Ren picked up his stuff and followed Neji out to the courtyard. The latter had had _enough_ of him so the Hyuga just decided to let Ren be in his company. The Nohara didn't even feel guilty for causing a ruckus around the girly-boy.

"Neji-san," the Nohara called out as they both sit under a tree. "Can you – "

"No."

"But I haven't – "

"I said no."

"You didn't let me – "

" **No**."

Ren dropped his shoulders in dismay with a dark cloud hovering over his head. _I'm trying to be sociable here!_ "I'm just going to the bathroom, Neji-san." The Hyuga briefly glanced at him before returning his attention to his lunch.

"Don't come back."

The dark cloud hovering above the Nohara intensified as he walked away. _Why is he so mean to me?!_ Ren sulked. He was completely unaware of the figures following him. The Nohara quickly did his business in the bathroom and when he exited, he found two of his classmates standing in front of him.

They were trying to look intimidating but in actuality, they looked funny. They were trying too hard to look scary that they looked hilarious instead. Ren inwardly snorted. _They remind me of someone in my past life_.

"You think you can just barge in our class and take all the attention away, huh?!" Ah, then again, they were at least a head taller than him. Their height alone intimidated Ren but the way they carried themselves was a minus to their intimidating factor. _Ah_ , Ren warily thought as he noticed one tiny detail, _their hands can cover my whole face_.

The both of them took a step forward and Ren took this sign to bolt out of there. However, his effort was futile and meaningless when they just grabbed onto his arms and stopped him from running away.

Ren inwardly cursed. He blamed his small figure and still-a-bit-thin limbs. The Nohara yelped when the taller of the two, Daichi, carried him over his shoulders. "H... Hey! Where are you taking me?" The Nohara panicked as he struggled in his hold but alas, Daichi's hold on him wouldn't even budge.

"Since you're a _hot_ topic right now, why don't you cool down?"

And suddenly, Ren couldn't breathe.

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 _"_ _Hey, Ed..."_

 _"_ _Yeah, what is it, Sis?" Edward glanced up from his phone to glance at his sister._

 _"_ _Will mom and dad come back for our birthday?" She was looking out the window, taking in the summer season outside. School just ended and the Scott siblings just decided to stay home and spend their summer in their house._

 _A sour look showed itself on Edward's face, making his sister giggle at his cute expression. "Dunno, dun care. Just stay with me sis, and I'll make sure our birthday will be a blast."_

 _"_ _Even if you're against socializing?"_

 _"_ _Even if I'm against socializing."_

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Hatake Kakashi was a broken man. He had lost a lot of precious people in the past and even now, he still couldn't move on from the heartache. The wounds in his heart were still fresh... painful...

So when he was informed that Nohara Ren was sent to the hospital, he bolted out of their home and shunshined to the hospital in a blink of an eye. He had startled a lot of staff and patients but that didn't matter.

 _Why was Ren here?!_

Images of Rin flashed in his mind; he could hear his heart pounding so loud in his ears. "Hatake Kakashi-san?" The nurse in front of him calmly called him; managing to calm him down even for a tiny bit.

"Nohara Ren-kun is at room 142. His condition is stable now but because he drowned-" Kakashi blanched at this information. "- he needs to stay at the hospital for a few more days to monitor his health. Additionally, do not let him submerge in water for too long."

The copycat calmed his erratic heartbeat down as he calmly asked, "What do you mean?" When the nurse answered, Kakashi felt his stomach be filled with dread. " **He has aquaphobia**."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n:**

 **klariza-riza:** _It'll be explained in this chappie._

 **LPWormer:** _Oh, thank you! ANd I'm glad you also like this version!_

 **Tsuki:** _Yup, there's going to be some major changes so I hope you're looking forward to it._

 _oooOooo_

 **"** **Aquaphobia**?"

The nurse nodded, a frown gracing her lips. "Yes. It is better if I tell you this early. This phobia of Ren-kun's _will_ affect his career as a ninja. I suggest leaving the Academy as early as possible. We aren't entirely certain how intense his phobia is so please make sure he doesn't see too much water until we are definite of his condition."

Her words became inaudible as those words sank in. It would _negatively_ affect his career as a shinobi and it was something that startled him. He had seen the way Ren's eyes sparkled, how his whole expression brightened up when Kakashi came and asked him if he wanted to be a ninja.

This news... it would definitely tear apart his dreams and it was something that Kakashi didn't want. "- I will go now then, Hatake-san." Nodding, the silver-haired shinobi silently made his way to Ren's room on the third floor.

During his silent walk, he contemplated what he had just learned. If Ren was frightened of water, then it was obvious that he couldn't continue his studies to become a ninja. Water was almost everywhere and there would be a lot of water-users out there.

Soon enough, he arrived at Ren's room and just in time to hear something breaking. Kakashi slammed the door in alarm, only to witness a nurse trembling on the floor. There was a shattered glass beside her, water pooling from the broken glass.

On the bed, Ren was shivering, droplets of sweat dripping down from his forehead. His arm was outstretched as if he had pushed something away. Kakashi pieced the pictures together and grasped what happened.

Ren had panicked at the sight of water and pushed the glass away, shattering it and startling the nurse. "Ren..." His voice echoed in the silent room, catching the only occupants' attention. "Ren, it's okay. _Calm down_." It was too late.

Kakashi must have said something wrong when the young Nohara started hyperventilating. The nurse glared at him; making him flinch in response, and watched as the trembling woman toughened up and approached Ren.

She slowly wrapped an arm around the boy, picked up a piece of chocolate from the tray on top of the desk beside the bed, and carefully made sure that Ren took little bites out of it. Kakashi frowned, his heart drowning in an emotion he couldn't recognize and clenched his hands into fists.

"Hatake-san, correct? I think it's best if you leave for now."

"But-" He tried to argue but the woman glowered at him with such fierce that made him cower. He quickly flickered out of there, not wanting to see those vicious eyes boring holes on his head. He found himself standing in front of the hospital, his shoulders drooping in dejection.

Why did that nurse kick him out? She _was_ the reason why Ren was having a panic attack anyway, right? Shouldn't she have been the one who left and not him? Kakashi inwardly growled but stopped when he passed by a bookstore.

 _Panic attacks_ , Kakashi thought [though most of his thoughts were still occupied by a certain Nohara]. _... maybe I said something wrong? I don't really have an idea how to deal with those kinds of things but maybe I should? Ren... Ren will frequently experience panic attacks from now on, right?_

He was still unsure of himself. He has no idea how to deal with this. He was a shinobi for goodness' sake. Kakashi doesn't know how to take care of a child so how the heck did adopting Ren even cross his mind?!

Damn it, he was a _mess_. How the heck was he able to survive at this point?

Entering the bookstore, Kakashi was adamant to know _where_ he had gone wrong earlier.

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 _Cold._

 _Cold._

 _Sis..._

 _Sis... help me..._

 _"_ _Ren..."_

 _Who's... Who's Ren?_

 _"_ _Ren, it's okay. He'll help you."_

 _Who's Ren? Who's_ he _?_

 _"_ _It's okay to wake up now. He's worried about you."_

 _Who's worried? Tell me!_

 _"_ _He will help you, don't worry. Don't ever hold back. He'll understand."_

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"Are you sure you want to do this, Ren? You can still stop." The hazel-eyed boy simply smiled at him, a sign of reassurance. "I'm okay now, Hatake-san. Not following through my decision is not on my list." The teen's eyes glistened with worry, making the Nohara grab hold of his hand.

The boy's hand felt so tiny in his, so smooth, so innocent. It was as if it was telling Kakashi that the path to shinobi wasn't meant for Ren. "I _want_ to do this. I promise I'll overcome my fear, Hatake-san."

Kakashi shot the boy an annoyed look; although, he was still worried deep inside. Honestly, the young Nohara was too stubborn for his own good. Just the sight of water was enough to render him into a shivering mess. Thankfully, Ren wasn't unnerved by the sight of a glass of water anymore.

Ever since that day at the hospital [it's just been a few weeks], Kakashi kept reading books about childcare and how to deal with panic attacks on top of his missions as a shinobi of the village. It might seem as if he was overworking himself but it was probably the price to pay for living with Ren.

And no, he doesn't regret it. Not even for a bit.

"Hey, Hatake-san?"

"Yeah?"

"... what is that book for?"

With half-lidded eyes, he was about to say that it was to help him when he saw orange from the corner of his eyes. Taking a good look at the book he was holding in his hand, he quickly shoved it into his pouch with a drop of sweat.

Silence draped over them and he could see Ren fidgeting from awkwardness. _Did he realize what I was reading? I hope not._ He thought with half-lidded eyes once more but really, he was panicking inside.

 ** _How in the world was he going to tell Ren that he was reading an adult-rated book?!_**

For the rest of the walk, the both of them were restless. Kakashi inwardly face-palmed at his stupidity but fortunately, they've reached the Academy soon enough. The shinobi saw his ward glaring at the oaken door. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and wondered what has gotten into him all of a sudden.

"Remember, if you have any of that panic attacks again-"

"- take deep breaths, go outside, and eat something. I got it, Hatake-san."

His onyx eye softened and even though it was a bit foreign for him to do so, Kakashi ruffled Ren's curly brown hair. "I might not be back until two days from now. Be careful." Ren beamed at him, his hazel eyes sparkling. "Be careful too, Hatake-san."

And with that, Kakashi flickered away.

x

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x

x

Did Ren mention that he was three hours late because he accidentally slept in? No? Well, yeah, that was what happened. Kakashi had been trying to wake him up all morning but he said that he wouldn't wake up so he let him be.

No, really, he slept in.

The door opened and Yura-sensei stood there with a soft expression. "Hello, Ren-kun. Are you alright now?" Her voice was gentle and it sounded sincere. Her eyes showed how worried she was about him.

The Nohara nodded, his lips kissing his teeth. In actuality, he was dreading to head inside. After all, two of his _supposed_ classmates pushed him in the pond. "I'm fine now, Yura-sensei."

Yura-sensei eyed him critically as if she was looking for a sign that he was lying. When she found none, she smiled at him; making him inwardly sigh in relief. Her gaze was unnerving, he found himself musing.

"C'mon inside then, Neji-kun had been asking when you will come back." Ren perked up at this. Neji had been asking where he was? A warm feeling filled his chest and he unconsciously rushed inside and sat on his seat. He ignored Yura-sensei's calls and when he was safely tucked in his seat...

... he felt a menacing glare boring holes on his face.

He felt weary. Actually, he didn't want to look beside him. Ren could literally see how angry Neji was. "Ren..." Said boy silently yelped from his seat and robotically faced Neji with a nervous smile. And there he was, glaring at him.

"H... Hey, Neji-san, i... it's been a while, huh?" The hazel-eyed boy nervously chuckled while he scratched the back of his head with a sheepish expression. The Hyuga before him kept staring at him with narrowed eyes that made him sweat buckets.

 _His eyes are scary!_ A few minutes later, the bell rang for break time and Neji was _still_ glaring at him that finally managed to freeze him on the spot. How could a Hyuga glare for so long, anyway? Was it a Hyuga-thing?

" _Explain_."

He gulped. "Um... well... I... I was just heading to the bathroom and when I was about to go back, two... two of our classmates blocked my way. I wanted to go back immediately but they uh... they um... _accidentally_ threw me in the pond..." Honestly, he couldn't talk properly with Neji glaring holes at him.

He was terrified of the older boy's gaze as if he was scolding him without his lips parting or moving at all to reprimand him. He had unconsciously closed his eyes when the word 'pond' left his lips so he was surprised when there was a hand ruffling his hair.

"A shinobi doesn't cry. It shows weakness. You would have died if you weren't destined to be strong." Hazel-eyed widened when those words left Neji's lips. Was this his way of comforting him? _Man_ , Ren thought as he took deep breaths. _I never would have imagined him to reach out to me, even just for a tiny bit_.

"Th... Thank you, Neji-san."

Later that day, two brats were found naked in the pond and no matter how much consoling the teachers do; they didn't mention who did it.

The next day, two brats bowed and apologized to a bewildered Ren who simply forgave them. Behind him, Neji shook his head with how forgiving his... friend could be to the brats who traumatized him.

x

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"... when's your birthday, Neji-san?"

"Why do you ask?"

"N... Nothing!"

Neji arched an incredulous eyebrow at the younger boy but his expression remained neutral. Ever since this boy came to class, Neji couldn't find the time to indulge in silence because even though the Nohara was socially awkward, it seemed [to him anyway] that he was trying to get rid of his awkwardness.

It was something Neji approved of when he realized that and he tried to help the boy. At first, he didn't want anything to do with the young Nohara because he thought that the boy would be like the others.

He thought the Nohara would be a loud bratty child and Neji wouldn't want anything to do with him. However, much to his surprise, Ren wasn't like them. Nohara Ren seemed to be the prodigy of his generation and to Neji, there was no doubt that he might take the title Rookie of the Year in their class.

Of course, it was something he couldn't let pass. He might have hated Ren at first but there was something he couldn't explain about Nohara Ren that drew him in. That was why he had no choice but to let him in his social circle [which was practically nonexistent].

Seeing his dejected expression, the Hyuga sighed as he grumbled out, "It's the Third of July." He wasn't expecting his outburst though. "Ah! It's two days after mine!" After his outburst, he must have realized what he had done and quickly covered his face with both his hands.

Neji shook his head but there was a soft expression on his face which was microscopic but it was there; although, Ren's words rang in his head. _Two days before mine, correct? So his birthday is on the First of July._

Their day ended with the younger of the two covering his face the whole way home while the older was deep in thought.


End file.
